Going back to school can be as much fun as the first day of summer vacation, if you go into the experience with optimism and a few ideas for fun together. Celebrate the back to school season by beginning a new back to school tradition with your older child. Below are a few ideas to get you started.

Back to School Traditions for Older Children

Throw a back to school party for your child and his friends

Go out to dinner to your child's favorite restaurant the night before school begins

Go back to school shopping

Purchase a new backpack for your child

Get your child a new haircut for school

Go shopping for school lunches and after school snacks

Make a special breakfast for the first day of school

Take a picture of your child on the first day of school

Take your child out for an ice cream after the first day of class

Make a special dinner for your child on the first day of school

Purchase fun locker accessories for your child's school locker

Go for a long walk the night before the first day of school

Plan a fun weekend before the first day of school

Have ice cream sundaes the night before school begins

Reorganize your child's bedroom so that it meets his needs for the year

Look at school pictures and yearbooks from previous years together

Write your child an encouraging letter about the new school year

Write a poem about how much your child has grown and learned over the years

Look at photos of your summer vacation together and talk about next year's summer plans

Attend your child's school orientation or back to school open house

Give your child a basket full of soaps, shampoos, a hairbrush, deodorant and other personal products to start the new school year

Talk about goals for the new school year and ask your child what he's most excited about

Drive your child to school on the first day or pick him up at school after the first day

Give your tween a bouquet of flowers on the first day of school

Watch movies with a school theme together the weekend before school starts

Give your child a new agenda or calendar for the school year

Take a tour of your child's school together

Pick out a new outfit for your child to wear on the first day of school

Have a relative (such as a grandparent) call your child the night before school begins to wish him or her luck

Start a countdown to the number of days before the next summer break

Write down all the fun things you and your child did over the summer break, and what you hope to do next summer

Look at pictures and videos of your summer vacation

Make a back to school goody bag for your tween and fill it with school supplies, art supplies, snacks and other items your child will use throughout the year

Start a new scrapbook that your child can fill throughout the year with photos, handouts, and other school mementos

Have your family pet "write" a letter to your child wishing him good luck on his first day

Create a fun study space with your child and decorate it with inspirational quotes or sayings

Check out the weather forecast for the first week of school together

Adopt a back to school tradition that's celebrated in another country

Note: The best back to school tradition is the one that helps your child adjust to the new school year in a positive and enthusiastic way. Offer up encouragement and let your child know that you will support him or her throughout the year.